


Promises Broken, Promises Made

by PandaPantsLuvsU



Category: The Two Princes (Podcast)
Genre: Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:21:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25199197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PandaPantsLuvsU/pseuds/PandaPantsLuvsU
Summary: A single tear rolled down her cheek.  “He swore to me,” she whispered.  “He swore to me that he would be here for the birth of his child and yet there he goes, off to fight in another war.”  Lavinia finally tore her gaze away and set her wrath upon the poor midwife.  “How many bloody people does he need to kill before his lust is satisfied?” she demanded.  “He is a man that has everything.  He has a wonderful kingdom, a beautiful wife and soon a child!  Why is he -”  Another contraction, even stronger than the last, had her nearly doubling over.  She finally admitted defeat.  “Why am I not enough?”--Lavinia gives birth and more changes occur than she'd anticipated.
Comments: 13
Kudos: 31





	Promises Broken, Promises Made

Lavinia watched her husband ride east with his battalion. They traveled further and further until the thousands of men were but a speck on the horizon. She wouldn’t openly defy the king but she hoped he would suffer as she did.

Another contraction. She grasped her bulging stomach in pain.

“Your Majesty,” the midwife said, “please, you must at least sit.”

“Not yet,” Lavinia replied through gritted teeth. She counted in her head, not taking her eyes off of the troops.

“Your  baby is coming,” the midwife tried again.

“You think I don’t know that?” Lavinia spat. “You’re not the one having bloody contractions every minute and a half!” She still hadn’t moved from her position at the window. The speck shrank even more. Then it was gone.

A single tear rolled down her cheek. “He swore to me,” she whispered. “He swore to me that he would be here for the birth of his child and yet there he goes, off to fight in another war.” Lavinia finally tore her gaze away and set her wrath upon the poor midwife. “How many bloody people does he need to kill before his lust is satisfied?” she demanded. “He is a man that has everything. He has a wonderful kingdom, a beautiful wife and soon a  _ child _ ! Why is he - ” Another contraction, even stronger than the last, had her nearly doubling over. She finally admitted defeat. “Why am  _ I _ not enough?” she breathed.

“Your Majesty,” the midwife sighed, helping her up and into bed. “I’m sure he loves you.”

“He only loves power,” Lavinia scoffed. “He would rather see the world burn than flourish, so long as he lit the flames.”

The midwife didn’t answer, choosing instead to examine Lavinia. “The baby is almost here. Get ready to push.”

Lavinia steeled herself and channeled all of her fury into something productive. In this regard, at least, her husband  _ did _ help her through her labor.

She hoped it would be a girl. She could protect a daughter from the influence of the king, train her to be a perfect lady and wife. She would marry her off to a wealthy noble and be thankful that at least one of them got to escape.

“Please,” she whispered in prayer to the wizard who created the universe. “Please bless me with a daughter.”

\--

It was a boy.

Lavinia cradled her new son in her arms, barely noticing as the midwife wiped the sweat and tears from her face.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty. He’s positively beautiful.”

“ Of course he is,” Lavinia said. “He’s my son.” She traced the outline of his face, then his tiny nose. “How could someone so cruel and evil sire something so pure?” she asked her son, who didn’t answer. She looked up at the midwife. “The king has the heir he’s been so desperate for and he’s not even here to welcome him into the world.”

The midwife offered her a tight smile. It wasn’t fair of Lavinia to ridicule the king like this, not when any form of agreement could mean her death.

Lavinia looked down at her son –  _ she had a son _ – and her chest ached. Her husband would come home and corrupt him, just like he corrupted everything else. This poor baby would come to know nothing but how to kill and conquer, and she would be powerless to stop it.

Before she knew it, she was weeping, clutching her son to her chest. This  _ wasn’t _ how things were supposed to happen. She was supposed to live a charmed life in a gorgeous palace with a husband who adored her. She was supposed to want for nothing.

Her son awoke and began to cry too, as if he knew what fate awaited him.

The midwife, for her part, shushed them both gently. “It’s normal to feel overwhelmed,” she promised. “Shall I send for the nurse, in case he’s hungry?”

Lavinia willed herself to stop and wiped her eyes with as much dignity as she could muster. “Yes, thank you.”

The midwife opened the door and gasped. “Oh, Lord Chamberlain! You startled me!”

Lavinia held her son even closer. She never liked the Chamberlain. He possessed a permanent grimace and only told the king what he wanted to hear.

“Has the queen given birth?”

“ Yes but I doubt she’s ready to receive –  _ oh _ !” The Chamberlain pushed the midwife aside and stalked into the room.

Lavinia leveled him with the fiercest look she could muster. “Chamberlain,” she bit out. The baby gurgled and she quickly shushed him.

“Why did you elect to not allow myself or any of the advisors into the room?” the man asked, regarding her coldly. “You do realize that it is customary for one to be present for the royal birth.”

“My husband was supposed to be here,” she replied.

“And you had no contingency plan in case he had to go away on business?” He  _ tsk _ ed and walked closer to the bed.

“ _ Business _ . You mean he went to spread more murder and mayhem in the name of expansion? Or is it glory, this time? His excuse changes each time he leaves.”

“Hold your tongue, Your Majesty,” the Chamberlain hissed. “Such talk is treason, even for you. I will disregard what you just said because you just gave birth and are … emotionally compromised.” He smoothed down his already immaculate suit jacket. “Now, onto business. Have you given the king a son?”

She looked down at her baby, feeling much like she hadn’t given anyone anything, so much as something was taken from her. “Yes,” she whispered.

“Good. We can plan the naming ceremony as early as next week. I’m sure you already know, of course, that His Majesty the King has decided that the child will be named after him.”

_ Ufgherd _ _ the Second _ left a bitter taste on her tongue and she hadn’t even spoken it aloud.

The nurse came into the room. “Are you ready for me to feed him, Your Majesty?”

Lavinia hesitated to let go of her son. But she’d rather the nurse hold him than the Chamberlain, so she handed him over. The baby made a noise of dissent but settled when he realized he was about to be fed. The nurse walked behind the screen. Lavinia lay back against the pillows.

“If there is nothing else,” the Chamberlain said as if he hadn’t been the one to barge in, “I’ll take my leave.”

Just then, there was the sound of hurried footsteps and a cry of,  _ "Your Majesty!” _ Lavinia sat back up just as a messenger ran into the room. He appeared to be incredibly out of breath but had the sense to avert his eyes. “Apologies, Your Majesty. But I have urgent news from the battlefield.”

“This is hardly the time -” Lavinia began but the messenger cut her off.

“Both of the armies have been defeated. The kings are gone.”

Her entire body felt numb and cold at the same time. “Dead?” she breathed.

“I - I’m not sure. There was a forest, it swallowed both of the kings up. I don’t think either of them would have made it out.”

“Both of them?”

“Yes. The East and the West.”

Lavinia shook her head. “But that would mean...” She looked at the midwife in utter disbelief. “That would make me...”

“You can declare your son official heir to the throne,” the Chamberlain said. “In fact, I heavily advise it. You would, of course, serve as  regent until he’s old enough to rule but -”

“Get out,” Lavinia said.

“Y-Your Majesty?”

She fixed him with a look, feeling more powerful than she ever had. It was a power that tasted sweeter than wine, a power she could get drunk on. “Get out. You’re fired.”

“I serve the throne -”

“And that throne is mine now. You’re hereby relieved of your duties, effective immediately.” She smiled. “In fact, all of the advisors are fired. I only ever liked one, and you sacked him ten years ago.”

The Chamberlain’s face turned bright red and his eyes heated in anger. “You  _ insolent _ -”

“Guards!”

Two armor-clad men stepped into the room.

“Have the former Chamberlain escorted from the  premises .”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” They complied and as the door shut behind them, she let out a breath of relief. The nurse came out from behind the screen and Lavinia took her son into her arms.

Her son, whose future held so much possibility now.

“You will never be like your father,” she promised him. “You will grow into the type of man he thought of as weak. You will grow to be compassionate and loving. You will do what’s right. You will look out for your people.” She held him closer, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “You, my child, will be a better king than he could have even dreamed of being.” She looked to the nurse and the midwife. “Help me stand.”

They guided her to her feet and opened the balcony doors for her. She stepped into the warm air, holding her son to her chest, and gazed out at her kingdom. Her kingdom.

She was free.  _ They _ were free.

“Someday, all of this will be yours.” He opened his eyes and she smiled, speaking the name she’d secretly chosen. “Rupert.”

“I thought the king said -”

“He’s not here anymore, is he.” She turned, the smile not leaving her face. “There are going to be a lot of changes around here. But first thing’s first, get me a quill. I’ve got a letter to write to an old friend.”


End file.
